When all else fails
by Ginn
Summary: Severus Snape finds an unexpected suprise during his morning walk WARNINGS: Abuse, Tourture, and Graphic violence. WIP
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
It was dark outside not just night but the kind of dark you think will swallow you whole. There was no breeze in the field she lay in just him staring at her, cursing her, beating her. He was dressed all in black with leather gloves, his Death Eater robes she thought. He turned to walk away, but stopped and turned slowly.  
The dark figure leaned over her prone form.  
"Let this be a lesson to you, do not meddle in things beyond your control, my girl," He drawled slowly.  
He kicked her one last time and whirled around leaving her bleeding and broken body to die, he was sure her mind was long gone after what he'd done to her.  
She looked up mustering all of her remaining strength to make sure he was leaving for good and as she saw the retreating form of Lucius Malfoy leaving her to die, her world went black 


	2. The Flight of the Potions Master

When all else fails  
Chapter 2: The Flight of the Potions Master  
  
Severus Snape walked slowly enjoying this time he had alone in the  
  
mornings before the morning classes began. It was a beautiful morning  
  
there was a small breeze barely felt through the trees of the Forest. Despite  
  
the unsavory creatures which were rumored to live there Severus felt that a  
  
five mile walk through the forest every morning improved his demeanor  
  
greatly.  
  
He entered his favorite spot on his walk, a large clearing where the  
  
wind and the outside world disappeared. He looked around the clearing and  
  
spotted a lone figure seemingly asleep in the center of it. He began to stride  
  
towards the figure when he saw the morning sun reflect off a patch of red.  
  
'It was a Gryffindor! A Gryffindor out of bed and where they shouldn't  
  
be,' He was positively giddy at the thought of all the house points he would  
  
remove. The sun shifted a bit and to his horror the small patch of red which  
  
he thought had been a Gryffindor shield began to spread until it covered the  
  
figure's entire chest and face.  
  
Severus stopped walking and stared in horror at the gruesome sight  
  
before him. There was a slight breeze suddenly and the figure's long curly  
  
hair blew off of her face.  
  
Severus broke into a run towards the girl. When he reached her he  
  
recognized student robes but could not identify the house from the bloody  
  
mass they were. Quickly he muttered some charms to stop the bleeding that  
  
seemed to be coming from everywhere. Severus swept the girl into his arms  
  
and ran flat out for the infirmary.  
  
*****  
  
The few early rising students going towards breakfast were startled  
  
out of their early morning sleepiness by the front doors swinging open and  
  
slamming into the walls behind them as their potions master flew by  
  
clutching a bloody figure and screeching for Poppy as he ran.  
  
Rounding a corner Severus slammed straight into McGonagall.  
  
"Well what are you in such a hurry..," She stopped dead as she  
  
looked down to smooth her robes and saw the pitiful figure in his arms, robes  
  
matted and twisted face covered with hair that stuck to the blood.  
  
"Just get out of my way!" Severus yowled pitifully like a cornered  
  
animal.  
  
McGonagall jumped aside and followed the potion master's flight to the  
  
infirmary.  
  
"Poppy," no response "POPPY!" he bellowed as he ran through the hall  
  
to the door of the infirmary. The small witch stuck her head out to berate  
  
Severus for being so noisy.  
  
"Oh my God," she cried as she saw the bundle in his arms and opened  
  
the door further to allow Severus in. He placed the girl face down on a  
  
stretcher because he hadn't dealt with her back.  
  
"What happened?" Poppy asked, as she began stripping robes from the  
  
limp form and stabilizing the wounds on her back.  
  
"I don't know I was out for my walk and there she was in the middle of  
  
the field in the forest. I stopped the bleeding as best I could and brought her  
  
here."  
  
Poppy turned over the girl to repair the cuts and bruises on her front  
  
as she brushed the hair out of the girl's face to asses the damage there  
  
McGonagall gave a loud howl.  
  
"Oh my dear Lord!" came a cry from McGonagall as she recognized the girl. "Hermione what have thy done to you?"  
  
Hehe I'm evil I'll post the next chapter soon though. Thanks to my very first reviewer me4draco06, is this soon enough for you? Normally chapters will take longer to post and will be a bit longer but I wanted to get to this part. Is there anybody out there willing to Beta my work because my grammar sucks. All I can do is run spell check. Well that's all for now but there will be more soon.  
Never knock on death's door  
Ring the doorbell  
And run  
He hates that 


	3. In the Hospital Wing

Disclaimer don't own nothing just to let you know  
  
AN – some short notes before I start I'm sorry this took so long but I've been applying to colleges, I've been swamped in dance auditions, I graduate next week, and I have a play on in three weeks. Sorry I'm a bit preoccupied. Well if anyone actually reads these things, enjoy. Oh and although my beta has this she hasn't sent it back so I just wanted to get it out I'll put the nice polished one up later, Thank you Carolyn.  
  
Chapter 3 – Death or something like that  
  
Everything was dark and swirling. It seemed to go on forever. It was a world of exile and pain was there was no pain there was nothing at all.  
  
"Is she Okay?" yelled Lavender.  
"What happened?" called another.  
Suddenly over the confused mob in Gryffindor tower a calm slow voice was heard.  
"Do you know when she'll wake up?" Harry asked.  
"No I'm sorry but there is no way of knowing," McGonagall said sadly, "She lost a lot of blood and she is suffering from a severe concussion." Professor McGonagall replied.  
"Oh," was the only response from the Gryffindors.  
"I'm sorry I can't tell you more but nobody can know for sure what happened before she wakes up. I'll tell you immediately if there is any change."  
With that McGonagall turned and walked quickly out of the room before she broke into tears.  
  
This must be what dying feels like. I must be dying, but why? What happened? Where is that light coming from I thought when you died...  
  
"Who told you she was responding to people again?" Ron asked breathlessly as he and Harry ran down the halls to the Infirmary.  
"Snape, but does it really matter? She's going to come back soon."  
"Why would Snape care what happened to her anyways?"  
"Don't you know?" asked Harry "He found her and brought her back."  
"Oh"  
Harry and Ron had reached the infirmary and knocked carefully on the door before entering. They moved quietly toward Hermione's bed.  
"She looks just the same as...." Ron broke off as Harry nudged him hard in the ribs.  
"It doesn't matter what she looks like she's getting better."  
"How did Snape know she was responding to people, she doesn't respond to us."   
  
The light is coming back it's flooding in...it's like I'm being cursed all over again...I shouldn't scream just ask him to...he will stop? He's human? ...I suppose...  
  
Just then a strangled voice came from the bed "Where is it? Why am I here? Stop, please stop." It mewled.  
"Hermione, Hermione are you there, is that you?" asked Ron.  
"Go away, leave me alone, don't come near me!" Hermione said as her voice rose.  
"What is going on here?" demanded Madame Pomprey as she whipped through the crisp white curtains to see Harry and Ron standing over a wild Hermione.  
Hermione's head was thrown back and her eyes were closed and curses were flowing out of her mouth.  
"Bastard! Stop oh please stop! You filthy son of a bitch! ..."  
"What on earth is going on in here?" A deep voice bellowed from the doorway.  
Hermione's screaming and curses stopped abruptly. She sat straight up in her bed and her eyes snapped open looking directly at Severus and no one else. As she sat up her sheets fell away to reveal her hospital robes, now torn to shreds from her thrashing.  
"Oh hullo Professor nice day isn't it?" said Hermione perfectly calm.  
Then almost immediately she slumped over and fell off her bed unconscious.  
"What the Hell!?!" yelled an extremely confused Ron.  
"Mr. Weasley please watch your mouth or I will be forced to remove you from the hospital wing."  
"Sorry Madame Pomphrey," grumbled a dejected Ron.  
"Come on Ron we have to go to class," mumbled Harry.  
"Okay, let's get on with it then." Ron stalked out of the hospital wing throwing a cold glare at the Potions Master just before he walked out of the door.  
  
Thank you to all of the reviewers, I will respond personally later. But Riz-chan sorry this took so long errm yeah ducks and hides  
  
And a really big super huge thanks to my Beta Carolyn, you are fabulous!! 


	4. What was that

Don't own nothing making no money  
  
Read and enjoy  
  
Sorry this took so long but about 2 months ago I sent this and chapter 3 to my beta and she never sent them back so, well sorry for the delay and happy reading.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Severus Snape was speechless. His smartest student had just passed out on the floor after responding only to his presence.  
"Severus are you all right?" asked Poppy.  
"As well as can be expected. Do you wish for a hand with Miss Granger?"  
"Yes I would unconscious people always seem so heavy."  
As Snape carefully lifted Miss Granger up onto her bed she shifted a bit and curled into him murmuring something into his chest. He placed her gently on her bed and tucked her in.  
"Thank you Severus," said Madame Pomphrey, "you can stay on with her if you like."  
"That would be, satisfactory."  
  
The world was swirling again. He was going to come back. He was going to hurt her again.  
There he was, coming toward her.  
  
Snape looked down at his student and gently took her hand to calm her troubled sleep  
"Sssssh, sleep now."  
  
She felt a tugging on her hand and looked down there was a hand grasping hers. She followed the arm upwards to its owner's face. He was here. He would keep her safe.  
She turned and saw Malfoy retreating. Looking back at the professor she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  
When she opened them again she was in a white fog, as the mist cleared she saw Severus sitting next to her bed fast asleep, holding her hand. She smiled softly at her savior and went back to sleep, this time not slipping into unconsciousness.  
  
The next morning  
  
Snape was aching in places he didn't know still existed. 'Well that's what you get for sleeping in a chair at your age,' his mind told him.  
Then he heard a sigh from the bed next to him and heard a shifting.  
"Mmmm, good morning professor."  
Snape's eyes snapped open to se a bemused teenager staring right at him  
  
AN : Technically it's a cliffie but I'll get the next one out soon. Muah I love you all. Is there anybody interested in Betaing my story my Beta seems to have disappeared with it. If you are interested let me know. 


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